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A mfttint mm WALTER J. MURPHY, EDITOR Progress in Pollution Elimination The Water Pollution Control Law, passed by Con gress in the closing hours of the 80th Congress arid If Congress will make these sums available an excellent start can be made toward eliminating, or at least re signed by the President on June 30, at last makes it ducing, the obnoxious conditions prevailing on most of possible for the Federal Government to assume vital our surface watercourses. leadership in a nationwide movement to improve ex Of special interest to chemists and chemical engineers isting conditions of the surface watercourses of this are the provisions for additional funds for research to be country. allotted to the state and the enlargement of the re Congress has debated the stream pollution problem search facilities of the Public Health Service research on and oil for the past 50 years, during which time center at Cincinnati. more than one hundred bills have failed of enactment. In presenting the Symposium on Industrial Wastes, In the meantime the urban population has increased published in the May 19-17 issue of this publication, the and manufacturing operations have expanded to the editors stated: point where in many cities a definite health hazard ex ists. Only the constant use of chemicals in relatively Heavy emphasis on a chemical engineering approach will prove effective. Through the use of chemistry and chemi high dosages has prevented serious epidemics. Such conditions are a disgrace to this country. Here in the Nation's Capital the Potomac River is little more than an open sewer. It shares this odious reputation with many other main waterways with which this country has been blessed and because of which it lias prospered. Under the provisions of Public Law 845 loans can be cal engineering techniques manufacturing processes can be modified further to eliminate much of the waste at:, its source. In this way the volume of material requiring disposal in our lakes, rivers, and streams might be reduced until it could be assimilated by the purifying capacity of the stream itself. Furthermore, chemical engineering techniques may so change the wastes that they will be relatively harmless when ready for discharge. made by the Federal Works Administration to arty We are deeply gratified to note the frequency with state, municipality, or interstate agency to construct which the Symposium on Industrial Wasps has been treatment works to prevent pollution. These Joans for quoted in the past year in Congress, hi state hearings, any project can amount to one third of the cost but and in meetings called to discuss water pollution prob cannot be in excess of $250,000. There is no provision lems. The authors who contributed performed a very for loans to private organizations. Therefore, the full worthwhile public service, but chemists and chemical financial burden of eliminating industrial wastes result engineers must continue their interest unabated if we ing from manufacturing or mining operations by private are to be completely successful in the elimination of industry must be borne by the individual companies dangerous and unsightly waste materials. Pollution, contributing to the pollution of streams, lakes, or whether it be surface watercourses or the air we must rivers. Industry and the public must recognize that breathe, must be considered a menace and a continuing the elimination of wastes is a necessary and legitimate challenge to American ingenuity. The manufacture charge against manufacturing operations. In numerous of fissionable materials presents still another waste technical programs held in the past few years by the disposal problem of unprecedented magnitude. American Chemical Society and other technical Intensified research efforts eventually will provide groups, speakers have revealed that responsible in the technical answers, but an informed and enlightened dustrial organizations consider the waste disposal public must supply the stimulus, for huge sums, problem an inseparable part of the development of both public and private, will be required for years a new process. to come if we are to stop fouling the nest. Industrial A sizable amount ($22,500,000 annually for five progress must not be gained at the expense of the health fiscal years) is authorized, but not yet appropriated, for of millions and the destruction of the natural beauty of loans to states, municipalities, arid interstate agencies. this country. 1239